6 Ways to Completely Change Your Career - By: Laura Lyons

The dismal economic state has motivated people to change careers more than ever. Here, we present to you six strategies that can help you achieve your new-found career goals and excel beyond your current capabilities. Today, changing careers can be a rather tough challenge. Not only are there less jobs, but the competition is even more fierce and cut-throat. So, it may seem impossible to persuade a hiring manager or future employer to take a chance on you, especially if you have no experience in your chosen field. Do not give up, these 6 strategies may just give you the head start you need.

First, keep in mind how much competition you’re up against. Nowadays, it’s not uncommon for hiring personnel to go through stacks and stacks of resumes from possible applicants, just like you. A stack of 200 resumes is the norm. Employers are looking for candidates with specific criteria and expertise, not to mention the right experience in the field to back it all up. If your application doesn’t contain these standards, why should you make the cut? Before you decide on changing careers, try signing up with a temporary agency in the career of your choice. You may have to make a couple of sacrifices at this stage – in salary, relevance, etc but this step will give you the opportunity to prove to yourself you can do it and more importantly, get a foot in the door.

Secondly, be ready to market yourself. This means highlighting your other skills that aren’t totally related to the job specification. For example, things that you excel in that a different type of employer might be able to put to use. Sales, customer service, social media marketing, human resources, and management are all examples. Employers love to hire well-rounded candidates with transferable skills so the more you market your other specialties, the better!

Third, if you still feel at a disadvantage, maybe going back to school and taking courses in your weak spots will greatly help. This not only teaches you more about the business, but introduces you to a new environment, and people to help you get to where you want to be.

Fourth, always network at every given opportunity. Even if you know an agency or organization is not hiring, still make the effort to create rapport, and hand off your resume. Human interaction is always better over uploading countless resumes over the internet.

Fifth, if you’ve tried everything including big-companies and smaller ones, maybe it’s time to focus solely on smaller firms, including start-ups. While bigger companies may seem more enticing, the competition is rough, there is much more paperwork to be done, and your chances of getting hired are greatly shortchanged due to more rigid job descriptions. Starting off with smaller firms provides more flexibility and possibly more opportunity.

Lastly, the Sixth strategy we can offer is don’t give up. Knocking on more doors until you find the right one is key. We know it’s easier said than done but keep your spirits up and you shall find results. Find your strengths, know your weaknesses, and then support your weakness by enrolling in a top online college to help you be well-versed in the career you are interested in pursuing. Accredited higher education coupled with desire, ability to market yourself, and networking should give you a great head start in finding employment in a new career. Best wishes!

About the Author

Laura Lyons

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Laura-Lyons/187938

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